Fire-escape



(No Model.)

W. D. THAC KSTON.

- FIRE ESCAPE.

Patented Dec. 1 1, 1894.

TvvevOTm. 77K

mm W Mese I #UNETED STATES PATENT OFFIcE. I

WILLIAM D. THAOK STON, OF DES MOINES, IOWA, ASSIGNOR TO JOSIAH O.

BENNETT, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS. I

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 530,863, dated December11, 1894.

I Application filed May 26,1893. Serial No. 475,662- (No model.)

To asZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM D. THAOKS TON, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, and a resident of Des Moines, in the county of Polkand State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Fire-Escape, of whichthe following is a specification.

My object is to produce a fluid friction bralie, adapted for fireescapes and similar devices, as required to slowly lower a person orWeight from an elevation, and my invention consists in an eccentricallypivoted cylinder adapted to contain fluid and a diaphragm in thecylinder and an axle extending through the cylinder ashereinafter setforth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which--' Figure 1 is a side elevation of the completedevice. Fig. 2 is g a vertical section taken through the line x a: ofFig. 1 the dotted lines showing the position of the cylinder anddiaphragm, after a half revolution of the drum has been completed. Fig.3 is a detail sectional view, showing one of the compartments of thecylinder contracted, and arrows indicating the manner in which the fluidescapes to the opposite compartment and Fig. 4 is a longitudinalsectional view taken through the line a: so of Fig. 2.

A represents a metal frame by which the device may be grasped by thehand or attached to a weight and at its upper ends are angular openingsA B represents an axle firmly fixed in the angular opening A of theframe, and having longitudinal slot B extending through its center, saidslot being adapted to admit a re ciprocating diaphragm C which hasperforations 0 adapted to allow fluids to pass through.

D represents a drum adapted to rotate on the stationary axle B to whichit is concentrically pivoted and having angular flanges D at its ends,as required to retain within proper bounds a wire or rope wound thereon.Attached to the inside of the said drum, and encircling the stationaryaxle B and the reciprocating diaphragm O is an eccentric cylinder Fwhichmay, be circular or slightly elliptical in shape and adapted to containa fluid, having .stuffing boxes at its ends encircling the stationaryaxle B to prevent leakage.

J are rods passing through the drum D to aid in binding the heads to theends of the cylinder F.

In the practical operation of my invention I fill the cylinder F with aliquid, preferably a lubricant, known as castor-oil, and attach the wireor rope on the drum to an elevated object and attach a weight to theframe A.

It will readily be seen that as the concentrically pivoted drum isrotated by the descent of said weight the eccentric cylinder F will bealternately transposed from the top 6 5 to the bottom of the drum and asthe reciprocating diaphragm G is thus operated the two compartments ofthe cylinder formed by the said diaphragm will be alternately enlargedand contracted thereby forcing the fluid through the diaphragm at thepoints of ingress and egress C as required to produce friction andslowly lower a weight.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A friction brake for fire escapes c. consistin g of a cylinderadapted to contain a fluid, connected eccentrically with an axle and adiaphragm adapted for allowing ingress and 80 egress of fluids betweenthe opposite compartments of the cylinder said cylinder and diaphragmadapted to operate substantially as shown and described to operate inthe manner set forth. 8

2. A fire escape consisting of a frame A, stationary axle B, areciprocating diaphragm O, a rotatable drum D, having annular flanges Da cylinder eccentrically pivoted to the axle and adapted to rotatethereon, con- 0 structed and combined substantially as shown anddescribed to operate in the manner set forth.

3. A governing-brake for fire escapes 850. comprising a frame an axlefixed to the frame, a drum having a chamber extending eccentricallyrelative to the'axis of the drum partment to the other, arranged andcomand the axle extended through said chambined as and for the purposesstated. her, and a diaphragm extending parallel with the axle andadapted to move laterally WILLIAM THAOKSTON' 5 relative to the axle toproduce two transform- \Vitnesses:

able compartments within the chamber in C. M. HAMILTON,

the drum and to force fluid from one com- J. Q. ADAMS.

